Number of supers over winter

[JohnnyD]

Hi All

I am going to Apilife my hive today, but i have a question, i have just the one hive with 3 supers on it, i havn't taken any honey from the hive this year, so it is a plenty, for winter should I cut the hive down to two supers and take the top super off so it is easier for the bees to keep warm etc? Or is 3 OK for winter.

Thanks

JD

 

[Rosti]

The number of supers you currently have on is less important than the number which are full(it's late Oct supplies not space counts now), but wintering with 3 supers is unwise, in terms of the excess space, the mess you'll have come spring and the need to have some drawn comb ready to go come spring. If your QE is still in place then it's sterile space/stores as well.

You may have to assume hive conditions, unless you have very good weather for the time of year and can inspect (in Yorkshire that is a no currently).

Assuming all are full then you can also assume that your brood box is also full, brood levels will have dropped right back by now and with the ivy flow shutting down that space should have been refilled. Cut back to 1 really full super, remove the QE between that and the brood. If they aren't all full then get them to consolodate stores by removing the least full super and then damaging the top supers cappings. Dont remove the QE until you have consolidated.

You are on a shot to nothing with Apilife this time of year imo so go ahead anyway, seems late to me though (use Apiguard personally so no experience, some one will be along with an informed view for certain).
Assuming all are full, as for the two supers you remove, spin them out and enjoy the bounty of your labours!

 

[Chris B]

Apilife is a thymol treatment and it will make your supers stink of the stuff for a while. So personally I wouldn't be leaving any supers with extractable honey on them at all i.e. if there's a chance you might want to extract from these supers next year. You don't want to risk thymol in your honey.
If you need/want to leave supers on for winter stores, why not remove them for the treatment duration and add them again afterwards?

 

[Flatters]

I would be tempted to take two supers off and extract assuming they are capped. The third super I would move down below the brood box. No QE on. The bees will use the honey if needed and warm enough and it gives a bit more draft proofing during winter.

I would not leave supers on top especially with QE on as this will make it a vaulted chamber and would be difficult for the bees to heat. Super on top and no QE would mean in spring majority of brood in super.

If the super is below brood box during winter, in spring you and move it to top with QE below it, even if it has brood in (as long as queen is left in brood box). Any brood in super that hatches will be OK and in three weeks the super will be brood free. Only downside is drones can't get through QE but may only be a few in early spring anyway.

 

[drstitson]

me:

QE off

1 full super below Brood box
Extract remainder
Replace 1 super (empty) above crownboard and fill with 2 layers of kingspan, the lower one with a cut out for fondant feeder.

 

[Heather]

And how loud do we have to shout it -NO QUEEN EXCLUDERS IN NOW

 

[Bcrazy]

I always leave one super on my brood chamber after removing the queen excluder as i find the bees will work up wards for stores as well as sideways i have done this for the last eight years and have not lost a colony over winter, prior to this i shut the colony right down ensuring it had plenty of stores but still i had starvation and lost a colony or two but now that's a thing of the past.

Mo

 

[JohnnyD]

Wow OK i am nervous, so you all seem to be saying i should only leave one super on, but with the brood on top and no QE, is that correct? And i keep the other two supers/honey for my own use? Do i still apply the Apivar, or should i save that till march next year?

Many Thanks

JD

 

[Bcrazy]

Hi JD
One thing is not to worry about the brood becoming laid in the super in spring as the queen will have plenty of room in the brood chamber to lay and in any case the QE is replaced before the queen starts hunting around.

Mo

 

[JohnnyD]

I'm more worried about me taking the supers away and not being attacked, I'm very new to beekeeping. Do i still apply the apilife var to the top of the brood with the brood and super swapped, or is it too late to apply it ?

JD

 

[oliver90owner]

I'm more worried about me taking the supers away and not being attacked,

Search 'clearer boards' or something similar. That is what they are for - easily removing supers of frames with very few bees in them.

 

[Chris B]

You can still apply apilife var. It may not be as effective as it would have been but way way better than doing nothing. Otherwise you risk a hive full of honey but no bees come springtime.

 

[JohnnyD]

Success...I have 15 frames of honey (and no extractor) Oops

And have swapped the full super and brood over.

Do I need to put the mouse guard in place yet?

 

[Hebeegeebee]

Yes it's about that time of the year.
You may be able to hire/borrow an extractor from your local association (if you are a member).
As Chris B wrote, yes to Apilife Var now. Late in the year but beneficial. Keep the miter board in during treatment and count the mites that fall. Some people swaer blind that they have no varroa and then are horrified when the count thousands falling down.